How it all began?

How it all began?

By: Carlo Magno Tiausas, 4F1JZZ

Barely a month after DU1ZZZ/Joey, got his amateur radio license from the NTC he thought of forming a new amateur radio group. A new group composed of people, who like him, is new in the amateur world but is full of enthusiasm to continually learn more and explore what ham radio is all about. He knew that ham radio is not merely voice communication on two meter.

On September 1, 1990, he scanned the amateur band and listened to the QSO of two OMs at 144.160 MHZ. After breaking in, he got to QSO with DY1FIL/ Boyet of Sta. Ana and DU1JZZ/Carlo of Makati, both friends of UNARCOM amateurs, a group based in Laguna initially using 144.160 as their calling frequency. Incidentally, the group was then going to hold their first Grand Eyeball the following day and he was invited to join the affair. Joey decided to go to meet his newly found friends on air. Later during that day, he made a landline contact with a friend he met at NTC, DY1GYW/Orly and he learned that Orly was likewise joining the eyeball.

After the affair, Joey thought of sharing his ideas with Boyet, Carlo and Orly. He told them that he wanted to form a new group which will not only teach the members to practice, propagate and preserve the true amateur spirit but also to encourage licensed members who have not been involved in real amateur activity to become actually involved and explore what really lies behind this great hobby. He knew that amateur activity does not start and end with CW and voice communication alone. He wanted to become part of an amateur group that will make a difference.

Gathering twenty five licensed hams was really not that difficult. Although it is one of the many NTC and PARA requirements, it was quite easy at that time as many hams were then looking for a good group in which they can be part of. Little did they know that they share the same goals and ideals with a lot of hams in the Philippines. However, the real problem was the task of forming the group’s incorporators and outlining the by-laws and constitution.

On November 10, 1990, in a meeting attended by nine of the eleven incorporators, the group’s constitution and by-laws was drafted. The first group of officers was organized:

  • President
———- Carlo Magno Tiausas DU1JZZ
  • Vice-President
———- Erick Villegas DU1EBV
  • Secretary
———- Suzanne Tiausas DY1HWH
  • Treasurer
———- Joey Carreon DU1ZZZ
  • Directors
———- Eliseo Morales DU1EBM
———- Melchor Sayoc DU1FBZ
———- Jessie Simeon DU1DJG
———- Anselmo Valdez, Jr. DU1DFU
———- Boyet Peña DU1FIL
———- Orly Mandilag DU1GYW

On that day, the group adopted the name RADIO AMATEUR MOVEMENT PHILIPPINES, INC. to be the club’s official name. Subsequently, during the first general membership meeting held at the Parks and Wildlife in Quezon City on December 11, 1990, attended by twenty two prospective members, the acronym “RAM” was unanimously approved by the body. 145.340 MHz was chosen from among the frequencies being considered as the calling frequency.

The Securities and Exchange Commission unfortunately disapproved the name Radio Amateur Movement because of its semblance with another amateur group called the Amateur Radio Movement, Inc. or ARM, Inc. During the Christmas Eyeball held at St. Tropez in Makati on December 2, 1990, a straw vote was made from three possible names: Pyramid Radio Society, Pyramid Amateur Radio Group and Cygnus I Radio Group. From among the members present, the name Pyramid Radio Society won by majority. Pyramid, as defined by Daniel Webster, is a tough structure with a square base and its four triangular sides meet at one point. A simple analogy would show that the four triangular sides represent the four geographical points in all directions. The Pyramid Radio Society represents a group that will serve as the meeting point wherein hams and radio enthusiasts from up North and down South can communicate and thereby establish friendship through meaningful QSOs.

Just a year after Pyramid Radio Society was born, it has successfully achieved parts of its goals and ideals. Through team effort, it will continue to successfully hold its general membership meetings, technical lectures, equipment updates, JOTAs, seminars and reviews and evening net calls. It has widely introduced packet radio to a lot of hams and currently, it is actively pioneering in Slow Scan Television in the Philippines. More than anything, the group has always encouraged and supported its members in all aspects of amateur radio — whether it is by regular voice communication, packet, SSTV or by using one of the oldest forms of communication — Morse Code.

Years for DX1PRS have passed. Little did the founders know that they have not only formed a very successful group with enterprising young men and women. They have formed an extended ham family. While they talk of gamma matches and rotatable yagis, they also talk about child rearing and quality parenting. DX1PRS has become family and it will continue to be a big and happy one.

Members have come and gone and technology has changed for the better but the four triangular sides of the pyramid of PRS has embedded itself on solid grounds — around the block and around the globe.

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